The present invention relates to a mobile device making it possible to mix at least two products coming from storage containers in barrels equipped with internal kneading means, which can be rotated by a kneading head, via a disconnectable coupling.
The invention is advantageously applied to the coating by an organic epoxy resin binder of solid particles, such as ion exchange resins obtained from the purification containers of primary circuits of pressurized water nuclear reactors and storage pools for fuels. However, the invention is not limited to this application and can be used in all cases, where the same products have to be successively mixed in several barrels or containers.
As is more particularly illustrated by French patent application No. 84 00543, filed on 3.1.1984 by Mr. Henri Lumpp for a "Device For Coating Particles", it is known in the field of particle coating to provide each of the barrels with internal stirring or kneading means, which can be remotely engaged and disengaged from a kneading head, which ensures both the introduction of the products to be mixed into the barrel and the rotation of the kneading means within the same. When stirring necessary for the coating is finished, the kneading head is disengaged from the internal kneading means and the latter are left preferably within the barrel.
In this known device, as in the case of mixing devices used in other technical fields and particularly in the chemical industry, mixing still takes place with a fixed station and the successive barrels to be filled are moved past the same. Particularly in the case of coating, this implies that the mixing or kneading station is preceded by dosing stations, where the dosing of the different products to be mixed takes place. The existence of these different stations obviously leads to large overall dimensions of the installation, which also is subject to high costs and requires a relatively large number of staff. Moreover, the increase in the number of stations and the movement of the barrels in front of the mixing station make it difficult to automate such an installation.
Moreover, when existing installations are intended for the treatment of dangerous or toxic products, they suffer from the disadvantage that the closure of the barrel only takes place at the following station and the complexity of the installations significantly increases the risks of leaks.